


Working Class Hero

by eri_quin



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-18
Updated: 2013-08-18
Packaged: 2017-12-23 23:00:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/932098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eri_quin/pseuds/eri_quin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Percy's plagued by the usual ADHD and dyslexia…but he's also diagnosed with leukemia at a young age. Now Luke gets to learn what it means to be an older brother, and Percy has to play the villain to be the good guy.</p><p>Luke gets to be the hero this time around, even though he feels like the villain. Percy will do what he must for the sake of the world, and most of all -his loved ones.</p><p>Even if he's dying, he wants to make his mark on the world.</p><p>But Luke isn't willing to let him die and just let him go just like that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Four Seasons in Four Years

He’s just a little boy with sea-green eyes, a shy smile, and tousled black hair that never seems to settle down. He comes in on the fourth of July, chattering about wanting to see fireworks that night and smiling shyly, as only a seven year old could do at the same time. His sea-green eyes are bright and he wants to pat down his messy hair and smile back.

 

He glances at his chart and keeps the smile on his face.

 

The little boy periodically coughs up blood, but he hasn’t yet progressed to vomiting it so he can’t say he’s suffering from hematemesisbut he’s confident enough to call it hemoptsis **.** He orders a CBC STAT because this seemed serious and he didn’t want to take chances, but there’s this niggling feeling in his gut that says it’s not enough. He has the boy with the shy smile and sea-green eyes promise to take his iron vitamins tid, and explains the medical jargon with his own smile as he realizes the little boy scrunches up his nose in confusion. He’s been working too long, he forgets himself.

 

Summer isn’t as warm as he thought it would be.

 

He has the mother, frantic and consumed with worry as she is, remember to have her sea-green eyed boy take those vitamins pcand record the hs. He’s worked there so long, he even thinks medical jargon.

 

Summer passes, and he works on and on, taking long shifts and weary hours. He doesn’t forget the little sea-green eyed boy that came in with a shy smile and gravity-defying hair.

 

***

 

It’s autumn, and he keeps expecting to see the usual brown, gold, and scarlet colors that blend the world into a vision of a macabre of a murder scene. Morbid, he knows, but he really hasn’t a thought to up his optimism levels for a long time. They come, but isn’t macabre or disturbing. Simply there and simply vivid. Maybe next time, he thinks.

 

His wife still suffers from agoraphobia and refuses to come outside. He works more long hours. And his colleagues have all the gory cases that they trade talk about, ribbing on who has the worse and sorriest patients waiting for the end. He doesn’t talk about his, but it is generally an accepted argument that he has the worse of them all. Because he has all the odd and horrid cases, but they’re all _children_ too. He has a girl with splenomegaly, a spleen that could rupture at any moment. He has another girl that has a severe case of quadriplegia, whom they’re not sure will ever be able to move again. She’s just moved into one of their wards, quiet and unmoving in the silence of her room, except for the beeping of hospital machines and the pump of the oxygen tank.

 

Then there’s one pre-teen boy who’s diagnosed with cirrhosis, and they’re giving him until the end of the year to live. He’s not sure how to break it to the parents.

 

There’s another kid with alopecia, and he’s only ten. It’s not something severe or life threatening, but he does understand how embarrassing it is to lose your hair when you haven’t even reached puberty.

 

He thinks he’s been desensitized. He works in the pediatrics of hell, after all.

 

And then the boy with sea-green eyes comes back; only this time it’s the mother who needs to see a doctor. He hears from one of his colleagues that she’s in to have a hysterectomy, most probably because of that no-good husband of hers that’s hovering around her and a cute little boy hanging around her legs like a puppy. His legs move on their own and he sees the mother is already in for surgery, and the husband is slumping lazily on one of the chairs while the little boy sits quietly next to him, his legs hanging over his seat and swinging back and forth. He stands a little ways away, and like radar the boy’s head snaps up to look straight at him. The sea-green eyed boy looks at him curiously and offers another shy smile. He gives a small one back and waves slightly. His curiosity sated, he turns to leave and starts walking away, when he notices small footsteps stumbling behind him. He turns halfway and notices the poor boy breathing fast, almost like he was suffering from tachypnea, but straightens up quickly and gives him an almost blinding smile.

 

“Where are you going?”

 

He blinks at the boy and tilts his head. And then he makes a decision.

 

“I’m on break. Do you want a cookie?”

 

The smile goes from blinding to a miniature sun.

 

They walk quietly side by side, and he’s glad because he’s not a talkative person but he is somewhat surprise a child of his age doesn’t jabber on and on. They’re at the cafeteria and he’s suddenly actually hungry. He works so much, he forgets how hungry he is sometimes.

 

The shy smile returns and he ends up buying him not just a cookie, but a sandwich and milk too. It wouldn’t be healthy to just eat a cookie, and he _was_ a doctor.

 

“Do you know what your mommy is here for?” he’s not sure it’s an appropriate topic, but he wonders if the little boy understands what’s going on and what the consequences are.

 

“Mom’s gonna have her stomach removed,” the boy says after swallowing, looking proud he’d remembered something.

 

He smiles gently, “Not quite. That’s a gastrectomy. Your mother’s going to have her uterus removed.”

 

The sea-green eyes widen almost innocently, but there’s a strong hint of understanding and even disappointment.

 

“But that mean’s I won’t get to have a little brother or sister,” like all children, this one has managed to master the pout.

 

A smile keeps tugging at his lips at the image.

 

“…Maybe she’ll adopt…” he sincerely hopes not, not with that slob. What a horror to be raised around that man…

 

He glances surreptitiously at the boy next to him, and refrains from shaking his head in pity.

 

“You know what…I bet your father suffers from halitosis. That’s bad breath,” he winks at the little boy, who instantaneously starts cracking up.

 

“He’s not my dad,” the boy turns solemn at once. “My dad’s lost at sea. Mom says so.”

 

He nods his head and agrees with the boy, knowing inside that in most cases it’s never the truth.

 

He takes the little boy back and he slips right back in his seat without fuss, and the slob doesn’t notice the boy’s absence at all.

 

Autumn fades fast.

 

***

 

Winter comes cold and unforgiving. The boy with cirrhosis is gone, and a girl with hemiplagia replaces him. He wonders if he should set up a play date with her and the girl who can’t move at all.

 

Sometimes he hates his cynicism.

 

The mother is back, and the diagnosis of hysterorrhexis passes through the grapevine. He passes by her room, sees her asleep, the sea-green eyed boy solemnly watching over her.

 

The child was much too mature for his age.

 

He goes on and doesn’t look back.

 

He picks up x-rays for his next patient and glances inside. He sighs inwardly and thinks it was what he’d expected. Hepatoma. He doesn’t want to tell the father the news; especially after hearing his wife had just passed away from a car accident not too long ago.

 

He passes by the room again and glances in. The little boy is on the floor.

 

That night, the sea-green eyed boy is signed into hospital, settling in with his mother even though they have separate rooms. More tests are run, and this time there are results. All he can think is syncope. And he thinks he’s been working for too damn long if medical jargon is what crops up at a time like this.

 

He diagnoses the boy with leukemia with regret. He meticulously goes through all the leukemia associations in his head, puts a note to check what type of leukemia the boy has and to make sure if he does or doesn’t have aleukemia. Leukopenia is an obvious attachment, and he sees leuko, leuko, leuko in his head again and again. And white is an on-going chant in his head, and he wishes he were desensitized again.

 

Winter has no mercy.

 

***

 

Springtime. A boy comes in with hepatitis. Cholelith seems to be a problem. He’s had several come in needing it removed. One girl actually comes in with cholelithiasis. He hears talk of neuropathy and needing to do pelvimetry, and remembers a hemorrhage he had to deal with last week.

 

He visits the little boy with sea-green eyes, who stares out his window solemnly, alone because his mother has to work and his stepfather is playing poker.

 

The little boy talks to him, even though he’s a stranger.

 

Gary Jules’ version of _Mad World_ is playing softly in the background of the room, and he thinks that it’s much too depressing and mature for an eight-about-to-be-nine-year-old. But the strangest and saddest part, it really seemed to fit.

 

Sea-green eyes widen at him and the shy smile is there.

 

“Have you been moving your limbs?” he asks quietly, observing the slump posture and tired circles under the little boy’s eyes. Myopathy wouldn’t be a good thing to add to the boy’s list of soon to be traumas.

 

He feels like he has a severe case of cephalalgia, and thinks he’s been stressing and worrying too much lately.

 

“I’m bored,” and the boy’s smile turns mischievous and he caves in and has someone cover his next patient with otorrhea, because maybe just maybe he has an attachment to this little boy with sea-green eyes, a shy smile, and hair that continues to defy gravity.

 

He starts to teach him chess, with _Mad World_ repeating in the background.

 

***

 

It’s summer once more. He’s just seen a patient with blepharospasm, and he’s holding his laughter in because the patient looked like she was winking at him throughout the whole time. He tells the boy with sea-green eyes, who laughs and for once beats him at chess.

 

So he starts teaching him a little bit of medical jargon. An hour later, he recites the words and the boy responds.

 

“Antero,” and the little boy giggles and points a thumb to his chest and makes a wide gesture over from his head to his stomach.

 

“Sinistro.”

 

“Like the DC character!” the little boy chirps happily and he smiles and indulges him.

 

“Like the DC character,” he murmurs approvingly.

 

It’s two days later, the stepfather comes in needing a rhinoplasty and he has a gut feeling the idiot broke his nose in a fight. He morbidly advises his colleague to poke and prod a bit more than he had to, and his colleague just snickers and understands his dislike for the man.

 

His colleague teasingly holds up a sharp dermatome, and he huffs and rolls his eyes, stating he’s not that morbid or that far-gone just yet. But he _would_ like to get that man arrested…

 

***

 

Fall again, and his blasé wish for a macabre scene of brown, gold, and red seems to have come true. Not in the literal sense, but in the metaphorical fuck you from karma and fates kind of sense.

 

The sea-green eyed boy is in the hospital again and suffering from complications from the chemotherapy. It’s unanimous to temporarily stop the treatment and observe his condition overnight and probably over the week.

 

The week turns into a month, and the now nine-year-old boy is restless and bored, but still mature and polite as ever. He’s obviously fatigued, and not even his pout could hide that fact. But the shy smile turns more frustrated and he realizes the sea-green eyed boy wants out of that room, and hates being confined. He has that gut feeling ( _again_ ) that the little boy craves the outside, and belongs in it –particularly the seaside, just like his eyes.

 

The boy’s mother lights up at the idea, but deflates when she realizes she can’t because she’s working and the stepfather is an asshole. Just like he thought. So he tentatively volunteers to take the brooding boy to the sea himself, and she smiles at him sadly and kindly, like no one has ever done such a kind thing for her or her little boy before.

 

What a sad family.

 

He takes a look at the chart to make sure it’s okay.

Pt. Name: Percy Jackson

Wt: 78 lbs.

Ht: 4’3”

DOB: August 18, 1993

DX: CA(leukemia)

 

He focused on the H&P, knowing that would help him make his decision and that the knowledge of it anyway might help him with any future complications. He would have to temporarily change the treatment from chemo to just bed rest for now though.

 

He decides it’s fine after all, and doesn’t regret it at all when the little boy with sea-green eyes is frolicking happily in the water like a child his age should. The mature little boy is gone for the moment, but he knew it was only a matter of time before solemnity and somberness returned.

 

***

 

Winter. Again. Somehow he hates this season more than even macabre fall, because winter is cold and dead. Just like the little girl in ICU that he has to assign a DNR (donotresuscitatepleasedon’tresuscitate) to, or the rushes of DOAs (toomanydeadonarrivals;nononono) that arrive day after day, from suicides that climb like they always do for that season.

 

The shy-smiling boy is back again, restarting chemotherapy, and he gives in to patting down the kid’s hair. It bounces up and defies gravity like he thought it would. He makes sure the little boy’s BPR is excellent, because he knows he’ll hear it and the complaints of the bathroom is an issue he’s heard from high school on up and he hates it (though from the little boy, he’s more exasperated). He takes the TPR himself when he can, and makes small talk with the little boy. He becomes uneasy when he realizes he has to hook the boy up to an IV, but thinks that it’s just a little precaution and that nothing seems wrong with the sea-green eyed boy who never quits his smiling –though it becomes shier and shier each day in the hospital.

 

After the chemo, he okays the hair-defying boy as an AMB, and the boy walks out and he gets an even worse feeling of uneasiness than before.

 

***

 

Winter ends, spring begins anew.

 

The sea-green eyed little boy is rushed into the hospital and it doesn’t feel like spring at all. It still feels like winter.

 

The boy is scarily in and out of consciousness for a week. Then he wakes up and he’s all smiles and pouts, and then turns to agitation as it becomes summer and he’s still stuck in the hospital. He’s been in and out too many times, and they want to keep him for observation. Summer ends quickly and fall is here. His agitation becomes loneliness as his mother visits him less in order to work to pay for all the bills, and his stepfather never visits him at all. Fall passes by even faster than summer.

 

It’s winter again. The sea-green eyes that were as sweet as always have been tinged with bitterness. And even when it’s time for him to leave, that hint of bitterness doesn’t leave.

 

When springtime enters, he wonders if he’ll see the little boy again. He would be eleven that year, and when he does see him, the little sea-green eyed boy is still ten but mature and shy as usual. Thankfully, it’s just a checkup and they want him to have one every three months. Ironically, a checkup for every season like has been already happening in the past without anyone even noticing.

 

That year is a good year. Summer comes and the little boy just needs another checkup. Fall comes and he just needs another checkup. He’s certain that things are looking up and that the little boy with sea-green eyes is going to be okay. And then winter arrives, and winter brings pain.

 

The little boy is coughing up blood again, but it’s worse than before. The little boy is also feeling more and more fatigued as the days pass and there is a pain in his chest where there wasn’t one before. He’s increasingly more worried as time passes and he’s wondering if there is a chance for this shy-smiling little boy.

 

He wants to be desensitized.

 

He remembers the first time he saw the boy. It wasn’t, like he thought, when he first comes in smiling about fireworks. He was in the graveyard in the springtime, at the memorial stone of his son. And the little boy is squatting near a tree, clutching his knees to his chest and rocking back and forth.

 

He doesn’t want to go back to that graveyard for another boy.

 

The little boy with sea-green eyes, shy smile, and wild hair, and who he _knows_ belongs in the sea, is deathly white and cold and completely still under starch hospital sheets and alone in a sterile room.

 

But he’s still breathing and that’s enough for now.

 

Four seasons have passed in four years, and the four seasons will keep passing as years keep going.

 

Started 4/3/10 –Completed 4/3/10


	2. You Can't Follow Their Rules

Percy tiredly got ready for bed in Cabin Eleven, and then decided to sneak off. He sat near the water, dipping his legs into it as he looked over the ocean and hummed a song.

 

“It’s curfew, Percy. If you’re caught out, you’ll get into trouble,” his new counselor, Luke he remembered, told him in amusement.

 

Percy looked over at him and just stared. Then he gave a small sad smile and shook his head.

 

“I’m dying, Luke. What does it matter?” and then Percy completely submerged himself into the waters, curling his legs and just floating there for hours, thinking about his life.

 

Luke inhaled sharply from the nonchalant confession and from the abrupt departure of the boy, who startled him from the submersion but after remembering this was potentially the Son of Poseidon he forced himself to calm down.

 

Instead, he settled himself down at Percy’s former seat and waited for him to come back, even as it felt like his whole world had just shift and turned on its axis.

 

Sometime later, Percy’s head popped up over the water and tilted to the side, staring at him curiously.

 

“You hungry?” Luke asked simply.

 

Percy smiled and nodded enthusiastically. He followed after Luke quietly, and the two of them ate an early breakfast.

 

“What are you dying of?” Luke stared at him intensely, but Percy was used to people becoming extreme towards him once they knew he wasn’t going to live long.

 

Percy shrugged, “Leukemia. I was eight when my doctor told me I had cancer. Eleven last year when he said I was going to die at sixteen. Sooner if it keeps worsening.”

 

“You don’t look bothered by death.”

 

“My mother’s dead, Luke. I’m going to die. I only tried to live for her. Without her?” Percy shrugged again. “I don’t have anything to live for. Nothing matters anymore.”

 

Luke shook his head, “You have plenty to live for. You’re only twelve, Percy. You’re young, you can live through this.”

 

Percy frowned and an irritated look crossed his face. That is, until Percy doubled over coughing, covering his mouth with his hand. Alarmed, Luke stood up and tried to come closer, but Percy held up his other hand to stop him. After a few more seconds of Luke hearing Percy cough painfully, Percy straightened up and stared at his hand. Luke stared at it too.

 

It was covered in blood.

 

Percy winced and tried to discretely wipe his hand on the hem of the back of his shirt.

 

“You look,” Luke swallowed and tried again. “You look pale. And you’re sweating a lot. Are you okay?”

 

Percy shook his head, “I-I got to go. I’ll see you later, Luke.”

 

The younger boy ran away and Luke reluctantly went back to their cabin to wake everyone up and gather them for breakfast.

 

Luke didn’t see Percy back at the cabin and he didn’t see him at all until that night. Percy had gone through dinner quietly, praying silently to any god and then had sat at his small space at the Hermes table, eating slowly. Luke watched him closely and went looking for him during the sing-along, only to find the younger boy wasn’t anywhere near. He left the sing-along and trekked to the cabin, and found his charge already sleeping, sweating as he tossed and turned in his sleeping bag but still shivering.

 

Quietly, Luke took his blanket and put it over the younger boy and periodically wiped at Percy’s brow as he got ready for bed. Hesitantly, he slid into his own bed and tried to go to sleep, instead lying on his side as he stared over at Percy.

 

Luke had a hard time going to sleep that night.

 

Early in the morning, he got up before everyone else because he couldn’t sleep anymore. Or he thought he did. Looking over to Percy’s sleeping bag, the boy was missing and the area was already tidy. He heard the Hermes cabin’s showers working and he silently walked to the bathroom, seeing Percy in one of the stalls, hands shaking as he tried to wash his hair.

 

Frowning, Luke walked right up into Percy’s personal space and began rubbing the shampoo more into Percy’s hair for him, uncaring of the water splashing and drenching all over him.

 

“I can wash my own hair,” Percy whined, almost pouting.

 

How adorable.

 

Luke’s lips twitched upward, but he just shook his head.

 

“I bet you can,” he murmured. “But right now, let me baby you.”

 

Percy stayed quiet, but let him do as he wanted.

 

“Wanna have breakfast again?” he asked.

 

Percy shrugged, “I’m…not really hungry.”

 

“You should eat. I don’t think you ate a lot last night.”

 

Percy grumbled, “I don’t have a big appetite sometimes. Comes with the leukemia.”

 

Luke paused, but then continued as if he hadn’t ‘stumbled’.

 

“Maybe if you eat something you like, it’ll help. What do you like to eat, Percy?”

 

The younger hesitated before answering, “I like strawberries. Chocolate strawberries.”

 

Luke lightly dunked his head into the water under the showerhead.

 

“Chocolate strawberries it is.”

 

Directing Percy to wait for him after he took his own shower, he then told Percy to go wait at the strawberry fields for him. He went ahead and melted some chocolate, going to the fields after and seeing Percy reluctantly waiting by a tree and scuffing his shoes on the dirt.

 

“Are we going to get in trouble?” Percy looked at him with wide eyes.

 

“No, don’t worry about it. I got chocolate,” Luke held up the bowl full of chocolate he’d managed to make.

 

Percy’s face lit up and Luke put down the bowl near the tree, and the two of them began gathering some strawberries using their shirts.

 

“Don’t you have to round up the rest of Cabin Eleven?” Percy asked him, starting to dip the strawberries into the melted chocolate. “Mm, it’s still warm…”

 

Luke watched in amusement, but remembered the question.

 

“They can live without me for one day,” the blond decided.

 

“I have a bucket list,” Percy admitted after a moment of silence. “There isn’t much, but most of it has to do with Greek things. ‘Cause I like Greek history and stuff, and I guess I know why now, huh?”

 

Luke snickered at the kid, but nodded.

 

“What’s on the list?” he asked in curiosity.

 

Percy turned red, “Well…most of it has to do with visiting places that were in the Greek myths. Mostly to do with the main Olympian gods.”

 

“I’ll take you to all of those places,” Luke declared, and inwardly he wondered why he was letting himself get attached to Percy and why was he bothering so much. “My dad’s the god of traveling and all the on-road stuff. I’ll take you anywhere. I promise. We can even go this school year. You can skip school.”

 

“Really?” Percy looked guarded, but hopeful at the same time.

 

“Really. I know where they all are, and I can take you.”

 

Percy beamed happily at him and Luke felt himself involuntarily smile.

 

“Thanks, Luke! And for not…pitying me…” Percy ended in a whisper, looking down.

 

Luke stared at the downed boy.

 

“I don’t like pity either,” he echoed quietly.

 

They shared another smile and continued snacking on the strawberries together. Luke began humming a song, and Percy’s eyes lit up.

 

“I love that song!”

 

Luke gave him a lazy smile, leaning back against the tree and cushioning his head with his crossed arms.

 

“As soon as you’re born they make you feel small,   
By giving you no time instead of it all,   
Till the pain is so big you feel nothing at all,   
A working class hero is something to be,   
A working class hero is something to be.

   
“They hurt you at home and they hit you at school,   
They hate you if you’re clever and they despise a fool,   
Till you’re so fucking crazy you can’t follow their rules,   
A working class hero is something to be,   
A working class hero is something to be.

   
“When they’ve tortured and scared you for twenty odd years,   
Then they expect you to pick a career,   
When you can’t really function you’re so full of fear,   
A working class hero is something to be,   
A working class hero is something to be.

   
“Keep you doped with religion and sex and TV,   
And you think you’re so clever and classless and free,   
But you’re still fucking peasants as far as I can see,   
A working class hero is something to be,   
A working class hero is something to be.

   
“There’s room at the top they are telling you still,   
But first you must learn how to smile as you kill,   
If you want to be like the folks on the hill,   
A working class hero is something to be.   
A working class hero is something to be. 

“If you want to be a hero well just follow me,   
If you want to be a hero well just follow me,” Luke finished singing, ruffling his charge’s hair lightly.

 

“I’d follow you, Luke. You’d make me a hero, wouldn’t you?” Percy murmured, falling into an easy sleep.

 

Luke gave him a sad smile, “Yeah. I would. This song’s somethin’, ain’t it? Just…fits in the whole grand scheme. Us and the gods…”

 

He trailed off and stared up at the sky, eyes darkening as his lips curled. He brushed one hand idly through Percy’s hair.

 

“Why am I complaining about my dad? At least I’m not dying a little bit every single day,” Luke closed his eyes.

 

+  
+  
+  
+  
+  
+

 

Luke and Percy stayed close through the week, and Luke put things aside quite a lot of times just for the younger boy. If one of the Aphrodite girls wanted his attention and he was with Percy, he would brush her off and focus on him. Or if he was with one of them, Luke would immediately leave her and tend to Percy instead. Not even his half-brothers and sisters in the Hermes cabin got as much attention from him as Percy did. And they all knew whose son he really was (matter of time until he was claimed…), and that Luke was paying more attention to a boy that was not even a real brother.

 

It seemed nothing and no one had become more important than Percy to him.

 

And despite what some of the girls and whatnot were spreading rumors about, Luke was not interested in Percy in that way. Truth was, this was the first time Luke had ever felt so close and needed by anyone, and he felt a responsibility and a genuine like for Percy. It was the first time he’s ever…c _ared_ about someone so much and he didn’t want Percy to die. Or to think like that.

 

And then the Capture the Flag happened, and Percy was claimed. Poseidon had finally acknowledged his son in the most dramatic way possible, as all gods tend to want to do. But no one noticed Percy shivering and looking pale and sickly afterwards, no one but Luke. And when Percy was ushered into his new Cabin Three, Luke gathered the boy’s stuff and snuck out after curfew, heading straight for Percy’s new cabin.

 

He hesitantly walked in, feeling the welcoming air of the place turn slightly chilly and a little more distant. But it didn’t outright refuse him from the place and Luke cautiously snuck in, depositing Percy’s stuff down somewhere and sneaking right up to Percy’s bed.

 

He was still shivering.

 

“Percy…Percy…Percy!” he hissed out.

 

Percy wearily opened his eyes, lips looking blue.

 

“L-Luke,” Percy stuttered. “I-I feel s-so cold.”

 

Luke frowned and looked around. He grabbed a bunch of blankets from the other beds and tucked them around Percy. Finding a small face towel, he folded it and wet it with warm water, placing it over Percy’s forehead after moving the boy to lie on his back. Hesitantly, he slid in beside Percy and held the other boy, starting to hum an old song his mother used to sing to him.

 

“Am I dying yet?” Percy murmured deliriously.

 

“No,” Luke said fiercely. “You’re still alive. And you’re going to stay alive.”

 

“It’s lonely here…I’m all alone. Can I come back with you to Cabin Eleven?” Percy asked in a child-like voice.

 

“It’s your cabin, Percy. You have to stay here,” Luke reluctantly said. “But it’s okay. I’ll be the one to break the rules. I’ll stay whenever you want, okay?”

 

Percy had already gone to sleep.

 

For the next few days, Percy had become even more withdrawn and at times even sullen. Then there came the day where Mr. D wanted to talk to him, and Grover had asked Luke where he was.

 

“He’s probably in his cabin,” Luke blinked. “Why?”

 

Grover was obviously nervous, “Mr. D wants to see him…”

 

Luke frowned, “I’ll get him.”

 

Grover looked surprise, but conceded and Luke went to Cabin Three and went inside without even knocking. Percy was lying on his bed, looking asleep but Luke knew better from the uneven breathing.

 

“Are you feeling sick?” he asked quietly, watching Percy huddle under his blanket.

 

Percy groaned and turned to be on his other side.

 

“I don’t feel so good,” Percy muttered.

 

Luke came closer and touched his hand against Percy’s forehead, feeling it clammy.

 

“Mr. D wants to see you, Percy,” Luke hesitantly told him.

 

“I’m just so tired, Luke,” Percy sighed and when he closed his eyes, he had gone straight to sleep.

 

Luke exhaled slowly and then stood up. He walked out of the cabin and headed straight for the Big House.

 

“Where is he? I don’t have all day,” Dionysus sneered.

 

Chiron looked worried, with Grover echoing him by his side.

 

Luke frowned even more and stared back defiantly.

 

“He’s not coming. He’s not feeling well. If it’s important, then you’ll just have to come to him,” Luke glared.

 

Dionysus’ nostrils flared, “You little brat! If he thinks that just because his father is Barnacle-Beard and he can do whatever he wants, he has another thing coming. Why I ought to turn him into a rat!”

 

Luke growled, “He didn’t say that, I did. He’s _sick_. He can’t come here.”

 

“Well he better damn well drag himself here! I don’t care if the brat is feeling achy and feverish with some flu crap! He better get himself down here or else!” Dionysus roared.

 

“No!” Luke yelled, surprising everyone including himself. “I don’t get it! You’re a god! Can’t you tell he’s _dying_?”

 

It became quiet really fast.

 

“Young man, you best explain yourself,” Chiron interrupted.

 

Luke looked at them all in disbelief, his voice cracking as he accused, “You were with him for how long, Grover, Chiron. Didn’t you know he had leukemia? He’s dying. Where is his meds? Isn’t he supposed to be taking something? He looks like he’s getting worse _everyday_. And he’s been _coughing_ up _blood_.”

 

Grover looked horrified, but Chiron grimaced.

 

“I was not aware of Percy’s condition. Thank you for making us all aware.”

 

Dionysus was just studying Luke. Suddenly, the wine god grabbed a bottle of something from somewhere and abruptly began stomping out of the room, heading for Cabin Three. The three behind him chased after him and entered the cabin just after.

 

Percy looked even worse than before.

 

Luke pushed passed everyone and kneeled by Percy.

 

“Percy, can you hear me?” he murmured. “Open your eyes, please.”

 

The youngest there painfully pried his eyes open and stared at them with glazed eyes.

 

“Luke, I’m tired,” Percy whimpered. “There’s too much light.”

 

The cabin was practically dark.

 

“Percy, look at me,” Luke quietly demanded. “This is your leukemia talking. Come on. Move.”

 

Percy whimpered some more before dragging himself up to stare at everyone blankly, keeping the blanket wrapped around him tightly.

 

“Luke,” Percy moaned. “I’m so _tired_ ,” he repeated. “I don’t think I have to wait until I’m sixteen…”

 

“Stop that!” Luke hissed. “I told you, that’s your leukemia talking. Didn’t you tell me that it was going to make you have mood swings and be depressed? That’s what it’s doing right now.”

 

Percy breathed harshly, nodding and beginning to lean heavily on Luke.

 

Luke had actually forgotten about the others.

 

“Percy, Mr. D is here. Remember, I said he wanted to see you?”

 

Percy coughed bleakly, “I don’t remember.”

 

“It was earlier,” Luke gently prodded.

 

“My head hurts.”

 

Luke winced, “Can you focus at all right now?”

 

“I’m trying. W-where’s Mr. D?” Percy mumbled.

 

“Right there,” Luke said, moving behind Percy and moving the younger boy to face the god. “Can you see him?”

 

Percy squinted, “Sort of…why is he blurry?”

 

It was a little alarming, considering Dionysus was just a foot away and in plain view. But it became even more alarming when Percy started having a coughing fit, and he doubled over the bed, specks of blood landing on the sheets.

 

“He’s not feeling well,” Luke hissed. “Can’t you come back later?”

 

“No, no, it’s alright,” Percy insisted. “Just tell me where he is.”

 

“You can’t even see!” Luke yelled at him. “This can be handled later.”

 

“No, really. I’m okay. I can handle it,” Percy said weakly.

 

“Right, okay…” Luke reluctantly responded. “You’re a hero. You’re strong. You can…do at least this.”

 

“M’not a hero,” Percy mumbled. “I’m too weak to be one. Heroes are supposed to be strong, but I can’t even get out of bed.”

 

“Don’t say that. You are a hero. Not all heroes have to be physically strong. You have your head on your shoulders; you’re smart and kind. Okay? So don’t say stuff like that.”

 

“Then I’m an abnormal hero?” Percy asked derisively.

 

“Shut it, brat. You’re not a _typical_ hero, not that being a hero is such a good thing anyway so maybe that’s a good thing,” Dionysus scowled. He swept closer and put his hand on the boy’s forehead. “You’re burning up. Take this and go to sleep. I have to go to an emergency meeting being held in Olympus, so Chiron will tell you what you have to do when you wake up.”

 

“Okay, Mr. D,” Percy said tiredly, taking the bottle Dionysus had brought without complaint and drinking it. He lay back down and easily went back to sleep.

 

The wine god nodded to Chiron and Grover. “Prepare the girl to come and get ready, Grover.”

 

Dionysus turned to Luke, waving his hand and making a six-pack of the bottles appear.

 

“As no doubt the stubborn brat will accept, when he goes on his Quest, tell him to take these when he’s at his absolute worse. It is all that I have in stock, but I’ll make sure to bring more from Olympus. It cannot cure his illness, but it will slow his symptoms down and make him feel better for a while.”

 

Luke nodded, but went back to frowning.

 

“Aren’t I coming with him? It’ll be easier for me to make sure he takes them if I come with him.”

 

“It has been decided quite some time ago that Annabeth and Grover will be the ones to accompany him,” Chiron interrupted softly.

 

Luke scoffed, “They wouldn’t know how to handle him and he wouldn’t want them to know. I’m _coming_.”

 

“No, you are not. And that is final,” Dionysus’ eyes flashed warningly before vanishing.

 

Chiron nodded and swept out as well, Grover uncertainly following but looking back in worry.

 

Luke waited before he began packing Percy’s bag, stuffing just clothes and the bottles in a bag. He made sure Riptide was on Percy before he hesitantly moved back to Cabin Eleven and stuffed a bag full of his own clothes and things he thought he might need. He looked at Backbiter and winced, but steeled himself and brought it along. He hadn’t wanted to reveal his new sword so soon, but things changed.

 

Luke Castellan broke rules, and this time was no different.

 

He shouldered both of their bags and carried Percy, easily slipping out of camp and finding civilization within an hour.

 

No one was going with Percy on this Quest but him.

 

Started 4/8/10 –Completed 4/9/10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, we’re back to third person now, with the POV alternating mostly between Luke and Percy (Luke heavily at first). 
> 
> They might seem a little out of character, but consider the changes. Percy’s young and knows he’s dying, and he’s spent a large amount of time in the hospital (if you’d gleaned from the first chapter). Coupled with his mom just ‘dying’, he’s going to be vulnerable and a little childish and insecure and all that good stuff. As for Luke, well…unlike when with Thalia and Annabeth, he isn’t worried about surviving, overall not dying from monsters, and in a way he feels like he’s personally charged with Percy’s welfare and has gotten attached (and all that that I’m getting into a tizzy trying to explain).


	3. Until You Feel Nothing At All

Luke stopped by a Starbuck’s, finding a car he liked and breaking into it. It was nighttime, so the alarm going off didn’t attract any quick attention. He quickly messed with the wires, stopping the alarm, and then he hotwired the car to work. He put Percy in the passenger seat next to him, tossed their bags into the back and casually started to drive into the drive-in, ordering two drinks for him and Percy and driving out nonchalantly.

 

Like nothing was wrong.

 

He drove and drove, and didn’t stop. Taking a sip of his coffee, he saw Percy stirring fifteen minutes later and he glanced around in confusion, seeing Luke and his drink. Percy immediately went for his drink and started sipping at it, drawing a smirk from Luke.

 

Percy didn’t ask any questions.

 

“You have a Quest,” Luke told him. “Everyone’s known about it, even before it was officially yours.” _‘I know more because I helped bring it about.’_ “Zeus’ Lightning Bolt has been stolen, and he thinks you’re the thief.”

 

Luke explained in more detail and Percy listened attentively.

 

“So…what now?”

 

“Now we go bucket list crossing,” Luke said unflappably.

 

Percy looked at him in amusement, still completely tired.

 

“No finding the stolen Master Bolt?”

 

“That can wait.”

 

Luke had a feeling Percy wasn’t going to live long enough to fulfill that bucket list himself, so Luke was going to damn well make sure he did what he could to help. They had time. And they were going to use that time constructively for _Percy’s_ benefit.

 

“I didn’t steal the Master Bolt,” Percy murmured wearily.

 

“I know.”

 

_‘Because I did.’_

 

“Neither you or Poseidon’s guilty,” Luke said confidently. _‘Because I am.’_ “And I’ll make sure you clear your name.” _‘You shouldn’t suffer for me when you’re already suffering.’_ “I’ll take care of you, Percy.” _“Because I need to. Because I want to.”_

And still Percy didn’t question Luke’s presence, the car, why they hadn’t waited for Chiron to tell the Quest, and why they seemingly seemed to have run away from camp and everyone else. Luke smiled sadly inwardly, touched Percy could trust him so much and especially in such a short time.

 

“You’re the best, Luke,” Percy gave him a small smile, eyes becoming droopy.

 

“Thanks, Percy. I try for you.”

 

And Luke took a deep breath and pressed on the pedal, gassing it to their destination.

 

Zeus won’t allow Percy into his skies, but he is the son of Poseidon so the god should protect his son on the waters.

 

Luke found the cruise ship and cut two pieces of paper to match the size of the tickets he saw some people having. Manipulating the Mist, the pieces of paper looked like real tickets and he went to those people and talked animatedly with them, discussing the ship and showing off his tickets. He offered his ‘better tickets’ for theirs, and they eagerly traded theirs. He and Percy were let in without complaints. They were led to a nice suite with a double bed and he and Percy dropped their stuff onto the ground. Luke collapsed onto his bed and breathed in and out for a couple minutes, closing his eyes to relax and finally registering what he just did.

 

He kidnapped Percy Jackson and took over a Quest that he was never supposed to be on.

 

He heard Percy scuffing his shoes and he opened his eyes to see the boy hesitating by the door, nervously looking at him.

 

“What’s wrong, Percy?”

 

The younger boy flushed red and didn’t answer for a second before mumbling something. Luke rolled his eyes fondly.

 

“What was that? I couldn’t hear you.”

 

Percy flinched, “I-I don’t want to sleep alone. I’m afraid of dying alone…mostly in my sleep. And I’m cold.”

 

Luke held out his arms, “Don’t be embarrassed. Come here, Percy.”

 

He scrambled over to his elder and shyly buried his face into Luke’s chest, wrapping his slim arms around Luke’s waist.

 

“I’m scared,” Percy admitted in a small voice.

 

“I know,” Luke swallowed harshly. “Don’t be. I’ll be here.”

 

“Promise?”

 

“Promise.”

 

They stayed in the cabin for a long time, until their stomachs rumbled and they looked at each other in embarrassment before bursting out laughing.

 

“I’m hungry,” Percy grinned.

 

“You want room service? It’s probably not a good idea for you to go out of this room.”

 

At Percy’s grimace, Luke laughed again.

 

“Okay, okay! How about I go out and check out what they have and bring something back for you?”

 

Percy gave him the puppy eyes, and Luke immediately caved.

 

“I’ll be back then.”

 

In an extremely good mood, Luke looked at the restaurants and found some NY steak he could bring back, along with some baked potato and drinks. His smile lessened when he saw a man sitting casually at one of the tables in the restaurant, and he felt the familiar warm glow that said he was a god. And probably not just any god. He had a feeling it was Percy’s father himself.

 

Luke sighed and headed over, putting his boxed up food on top of the table.

 

“What do you want?” Luke asked irritated.

 

Poseidon looked at him calmly, “Why have you taken Percy?”

 

“Why? Anxious for him to clear your name?” Luke sneered.

 

Poseidon frowned, “Percy is my son. His welfare is my concern.”

 

“Then why haven’t you taken cared of him all these years?” Luke continued to get angry. “Why leave him on his own, with just his mother to take care of him? Why not check up on him? Visit him at least? Even if he doesn’t see you.”

 

The sea god closed his eyes before opening them and staring at the demigod intensely.

 

“I did once. When he was younger. Sally didn’t know and Percy would be too young to remember. I had my duties to care of and I did not want to reveal Percy’s presence to anyone, especially my brothers. If I stayed, if I visited, if I clung to him like I wanted…Hades would have sent monsters to him in massive groups and Zeus would have stopped at nothing to kill him. I did all I could to keep him _alive_.”

 

“Why didn’t you look in on him then?” Luke stayed stubborn.

 

“Besides knowing that was dangerous as well?” Poseidon said sarcastically. “It would hurt a lot more knowing what I could have, instead of being oblivious to the one person I want and need the most in this world. He is my son, Luke Castellan, Son of Hermes. And ignorance is bliss.”

 

Luke reluctantly admitted inside that Poseidon might be the one Olympian parent that might care for his kid.

 

“I would like to see my son.”

 

Luke sighed once more and conceded.

 

Leading Poseidon to his and Percy’s room, he was caught off guard when Poseidon stopped him and told him something that made him blanch.

 

“Your father is keeping my son company.”

 

Angry, Luke unlocked the door with his key and stomped inside, eyes immediately catching sight of his father entertaining Percy, who was laughing uproariously and without restraint. His own father had a smile on his face.

 

Smoothing his face, he cleared his throat.

 

“Percy, I brought food,” he said stoically, holding up their boxed dinners.

 

Percy’s smile slowly started to fall, seeing Luke looking discontented. Seeing who most of the unhappiness was directed at, Percy shyly scooted away from Hermes.

 

Using that small and unsure voice once more, he looked at Luke with wide eyes.

 

“Are you unhappy with me, Luke?”

 

Luke blinked and rapidly shook his head, dropping the food and rushing to Percy’s side, pushing his father away.

 

“No, of course not. I brought steak, okay? And because I couldn’t find any chocolate strawberries, I got you a small slice of chocolate cake and a strawberry smoothie,” Luke said soothingly.

 

Percy uncertainly hunched closer and wrapped his arms around Luke’s neck, and Luke patted his back tenderly, glancing back at the two gods disdainfully.

 

“Percy, I want you to take a shower. You look pale and sweaty. A shower might help you feel better, or at least wash off your sweat,” Luke ordered. Percy yawned but nodded, leaving Luke with the two gods.

 

“Ask your questions and then leave. I’m taking care of Percy just fine,” Luke snapped. “He doesn’t need anyone else and you’ll get your damn Master Bolt back in time.”

 

“Why does my son look so sickly?” Poseidon asked, and Luke was at least contented that the first question showed once more how much Poseidon really did care for Percy.

 

Luke grimaced, “He is sick. But he probably wouldn’t want me to tell you what’s wrong. He doesn’t like people knowing. And since you haven’t bothered to check up on him, why should I bother telling you anyway?”

 

Poseidon pursed his lips, but Hermes interrupted

 

“It’s long been predicted the Quest would be for him, but also for Grover and Annabeth. Why have you forced your way into it?” Hermes’ face was stern, but his eyes were soft.

 

Luke’s lip curled, “I suppose I know now what fate you were talking about before for me, but Percy is my reason not to suffer that fate. And _I’m_ going to save him. They wouldn’t have been able to take care of him like I could, protect him the way I will.”

 

Hermes’ eyes widened before sadness entered them, though Poseidon himself seemed unsure of the exchange.

 

“Why are you not going to look for the Master Bolt right away then?”

 

Luke looked haunted, “Because I want Percy to enjoy himself before it’s too late.”

 

“Before it’s –?” Poseidon’s question was cut off as Percy stumbled back into their midst, leaning heavily against the wall.

 

“Luke!” Percy whimpered. “My chest hurts.”

 

Luke ran to his side, reaching him just before Poseidon did. He didn’t miss the longing on Poseidon’s face so he reluctantly handed Percy over as he dashed to their bags and began rummaging for the bottles Dionysus gave for Percy.

 

“That is not something that Dionysus hands out everyday,” Hermes commented, seeing the bottles and recognizing the handling and craft. “Especially in that amount.”

 

Luke ignored him and the prodding for answers, darting back to Percy and tilting his head back, pouring the tincture into his mouth.

 

“I didn’t think we’d need another one so fast,” Luke muttered.

 

“Did you steal it?”

 

“No,” Luke finally acknowledged his father. “He gave it to us. Him, I mean. Like Percy was going to be able to take it when he needed it…or let the others know he had to take it. He’s better off with me,” Luke muttered.

 

Percy was mumbling incoherently.

 

“This isn’t working,” Luke gritted his teeth in frustration. “Can’t you two _do_ something? You’re gods! Stop being useless!”

 

“What does he have?” Poseidon demanded and Hermes was already shifting through his bag for something.

 

Luke cringed, “Leukemia. I don’t know what kind of meds he had to take. He didn’t mention them to me.”

 

Both gods paused, and Poseidon stared at him.

 

“What stage?” Hermes asked for them.

 

“…I don’t know,” Luke whispered. “He told me…that he wouldn’t live pass sixteen. That if his leukemia gets worse, he might not even live until then.”

 

“My son is dying,” Poseidon stated in a hollow voice.

 

“Yes,” Luke turned away. “We…we have to do something for him. Why can’t you do something?”

 

“Diseases are tricky things,” Hermes talked, for Poseidon was too busy holding onto his son and murmuring into his ears. “For one, the gods are forbidden from direct intervention in human affairs. The other thing is…usually they’re Fates-designed. The Fates intended to give the disease to someone because they’ve prearranged their life to have it and that person is to die when the Fates have decreed.”

 

“People have survived diseases like this! They’ve defied the Fates, so Percy can too! We need an actual doctor,” Luke stood up abruptly and was about to run out to get help and ignore the gods, when Percy’s hand shot out to grab him.

 

“No, no! You promised!” Percy insisted weakly. “You said you’d stay by my side. I don’t…I don’t want to be alone. I’m afraid of dying alone. You promised you’d stay and I wouldn’t die alone…”

 

“You are not going to die, Percy,” Luke glared. “I’ll make sure of it. I’ll save you. But I have to go find a doctor, so you have to let me go. You won’t be alone though,” he hesitated, looking at the gods. “Your…father is going to stay with you.”

 

“M-my father?” Percy asked dazedly.

 

“Yes, that’s right, my son. I’m right here,” Poseidon murmured reassuringly, feeling the unfamiliar emotions of pain, sadness, and also love and relief for his son.

 

“Dad,” Percy began fading in and out of consciousness, and Luke ran out to hurry to a doctor. His father was right beside him.

 

“He’s not on duty. He’s resting in room 289,” Hermes declared.

 

Luke’s jaw clenched, but he nodded jerkily, switching directions. Hermes followed after him and they were in front of the door in no time.

 

“What on earth –who?” a middle-age man opened the door and blinked at them in confusion. “Is there something the matter?”

 

“You’re the doctor, right? My friend is really sick and needs to see you. It can’t wait –” when the man was about to protest. The man nodded resignedly and followed after them, and stopped short at the sight of Percy.

 

“That’s…that’s my patient,” he muttered. He took out a light and directed it into Percy’s eyes. “Percy, can you hear me?”

 

“Doctor…Doctor Lawrence?” Percy moaned.

 

“That’s me,” Doctor Lawrence smiled. “Can you see how many fingers I’m holding up?”

 

“Five.”

 

Doctor Lawrence winced. He was only holding up three.

 

“Percy, we’re going to need to get you to a hospital,” he said gently.

 

Percy nodded and faded back finally into unconsciousness.

 

“I want answers,” he rounded on them. “Perseus was supposed to come in for his summer check up, but he missed it and no one answered when we called home. Then we hear something about a freak car accident and the boy and his mother missing. Why is he with you, and who _are_ you?”

 

“It’s a long story,” Luke cut in before the other two could try to manipulate the man. “I’m Luke. His brother.”

 

The other two looked sharply at him, but didn’t contradict him.

 

“Where are his remaining meds?” Doctor Lawrence frowned at them all.

 

“We don’t know. He didn’t even mention the meds to Luke, and we weren’t aware that he had leukemia,” Hermes said for them all, as Luke was starting to get irrational and Poseidon was busy focusing on his son.

 

Doctor Lawrence pinched the bridge of his nose. “He was supposed to get his refills the day of his check up, and a week after he was supposed to go on chemo again. He shouldn’t even be on this boat. His immunity and resistance isn’t up to it. He shouldn’t be anywhere near Greece,” he reprimanded.

 

“He wanted to go see all the places from the Greek myths,” Luke crossed his arms stubbornly. “It was part of a list he made. I didn’t…I didn’t want him to die before he got to go and see everything!”

 

Doctor Lawrence nodded understandingly.

 

“His bucket list? I told him he was too young to have one…but then again, it had been my idea for him to make one in the first place. I thought it would keep his mind off of things if he had a wish list of things he wanted to see and do before he…died.”

 

“He’s not going to die,” Poseidon muttered blankly. He was stared at worriedly.

 

“He’s got to be flied to the nearest hospital. There’s no way we can keep him under observation, and there’s no available medicine for him to take onboard. It’ll be too rocky for him to sail to the nearest landmass, and there isn’t a lot of time for us to be able to just sail anyway. I’ll go and arrange for air transport, just stay here with him and take note of any changes to his health.”

 

Doctor Lawrence left and Poseidon scoffed.

 

“As if I would let my son suffer through endless waves and get seasick. I could’ve cut the sailing time too.”

 

Hermes rolled his eyes, noting his son hovering over the younger boy restlessly.

 

“We’re not supposed to let him know what we are so we can’t leave any hints. We’re already interfering enough, if we make it obvious Zeus will catch on and definitely be even more angrier than he is now. Which leaves us to the question of how we are going to travel in the air without Zeus knowing and freaking out.”

 

“We use Kronos’ ring,” Luke stated flatly, and both gods turned to stare at him. He looked at them defiantly. “It’ll shield us from any prying eyes and get us to our destination quietly.”

 

Hermes gave a shuddered breath, eyes fluttering shut before opening and staring at his son.

 

“So you have sided with Kronos already. Am I to assume you were the one who actually stole the Lightning Bolt?”

 

Luke gave a derisive grin, “That and the Helm of Darkness. I was going to start a war, but my priorities have changed.”

 

The blond demigod looked at Percy fiercely.

 

“So that is what the Fates revealed to you about your son,” Poseidon murmured, looking at Hermes. He ignored the other part that wanted to smite the boy for getting him and his son into this mess –simply because Luke seemed to care very deeply for his son.

 

Hermes looked away, “Not in so many words and details, but yes. The gist was that my son would turn traitor, turn to Kronos, and start a second Titanomachy. And that he would die a hero’s death.”

 

“Contradictory since I would become a traitor –how on earth would I die a _hero’s_ death?” Luke bit back a laugh. “Like it matters now. I have no intentions of going to Kronos so long as Percy lives and needs me.”

 

“So you know where the Lightning Bolt is? And I suppose the Helm of Darkness, though we had no idea it was missing,” Poseidon interrogated.

 

“All in good time,” Luke murmured. “Sorry, Percy. I don’t think we can go to Greece now. Will Disneyland do?”

 

“Mmkay,” Percy muttered, waking up at that part.

 

“We’ll go to Adventureland and even Universal Studios. Okay, little brother?” Luke was starting to feel optimistic again.

 

“Y-yeah. That sounds fun…big brother,” Percy smiled softly, his eyes still closed.

 

Luke swallowed down thick tears, though he couldn’t help some of them rolling down his face. Percy began coughing again, blood splattering onto Luke’s shirt.

 

“Damn it! Why isn’t that thing working?” Luke cursed, rummaging for another bottle.

 

“Fated disease,” Hermes murmured softly. “The gods are unable to defy the Fates, and not even Dionysus’ powerful medicinal wine can help. Not even Zeus, who is subject to the Fates himself but serves as their ruler, might not be able to help. It is up to mortal men to defy the Fates, and only mortal men.”

 

Luke poured another bottle into Percy’s mouth, and his coughing abated though he still looked pale.

 

“Am I going to go get chemo?” Percy sighed. “I’m going to go bald. I keep losing hair and they keep making the treatments longer and longer. This time, I won’t have _any_ hair left.”

 

“I promise I’ll get you a cool hat,” Luke grinned.

 

“Really?”

 

“Yup. You’ll just have to wait a bit longer…”

 

Percy slowly opened his eyes, blinking cutely when he saw Hermes and Poseidon.

 

“It’s the funny man and the warm man that smells like the sea,” Percy smiled widely.

 

Luke tried not to face fault, while both gods didn’t restrain their laughter.

 

“Percy…the ‘funny man’ is my father, Hermes. And… _the ‘warm man’_ is _your_ father.”

 

“Oh. Oops?”

 

“It is nice to meet you, Perseus, though we met earlier,” Hermes smiled back at the boy.

 

“R-right,” Percy’s smile turned sad and awkward and he shrugged pathetically at them. “M-my head’s not all there, I guess. It gets jumbled sometimes and I forget.”

 

“It’s okay, son,” Poseidon moved closer. “You have a lot of support right now. Don’t you worry about anything.”

 

“My mom was my only reason for living…I guess I have three more people to add to my list,” Percy added cheerily, counting the three in front of him childishly.

 

The others looked at him sadly.

 

Started 4/9/10 –Completed 4/10/10


	4. Giving You No Time

Doctor Lawrence came back and they moved to the deck, where a helicopter was already waiting.

 

“I don’t want to put you in a stretcher, Percy,” the doctor said quietly. “The restraints might aggravate your chest, and you need to be kept upright. The safest I can say for such an abrupt and ill-equipped journey is for someone to hold onto you as tight as you can handle. Is that okay?”

 

Percy nodded and Luke immediately moved in closer, putting an arm around him.

 

They boarded the helicopter and sat down.

 

“They’re no seats,” Luke noted with a frown.

 

Lawrence sighed, “This helicopter was the best they could send out as fast as they can. There was no time to be wasted and I couldn’t afford to wait for something better. Percy can’t wait.”

 

Luke nodded and adjusted Percy between his legs, wrapping his arms around him and holding him tight.

 

“Percy, I know this might be hard to ask of you, but I need you to stay awake until we reach the hospital, alright? It’ll be bad for you if you fall asleep,” Lawrence asked.

 

“Mmkay,” but Percy sounded sleepy.

 

“Do you want to hear our favorite song?” Luke murmured to him.

 

“Yeah,” Percy became a little more alive, eyes blinking to force himself awake.

 

Luke nodded at his dad, pointing at the guitar case. He’d stolen that from the car he’d also stolen. Hermes handed him the guitar and he put it onto Percy’s lap, adjusting his hold to encircle Percy and be able to hold onto the guitar as well.

 

That beginning of their ride, Luke played John Lennon’s _Working Class Hero_ to Percy’s delight, and the three men’s depression.

 

And at the chorus, Luke looked up and stared straight at the gods, lips twisting briefly in bitterness.

 

“If you want to be a hero, just follow me,” Luke ended, strumming the guitar one last time. He combed a hand through Percy’s hair, who snuggled closer to him.

 

“When I was younger, I wanted to work as a jet pilot,” Percy told him, snickering. “Now I want to be an underwater diver.”

 

Luke laughed, and Poseidon and Hermes smiled to themselves. Lawrence chuckled as well, watching the two ‘brothers’.

 

“When _I_ was younger, I wanted to be a space pilot,” Luke replied derisively, a wry grin spreading across his face. “And I don’t mean an astronaut.”

 

Percy burst into giggles and Luke started laughing again, glad to see Percy so happy.

 

“I have some papers I’d like Luke to sign,” Lawrence reluctantly interrupted. “You see, since Percy’s mother is still missing, we need someone to get permission for any time we need for him. I have papers that if you sign, you could become his power of attorney. That means that essentially you’ll be Percy’s guardian, at least temporarily.”

 

Poseidon looked ready to protest, but he knew that no one was supposed to know he was Percy’s father. He forced himself to stay quiet and reluctantly just watch.

 

“You’re Percy’s closest relative, not counting his stepfather Gabe Ugliano,” a hint of disgust slipped into his tone. “Besides which, you’re Percy’s _blood_ brother and blood relatives are usually considered higher prioritized.”

 

No one revealed that Luke technically…wasn’t actually Percy’s brother.

 

“I’ll sign,” Luke immediately answered, reaching for the papers.

 

“Hold on, first I’d like to know if Percy is okay with this. Then, I need you to understand this is an _important_ responsibility that you must take very seriously. You are at least 20, right? 18 is alright, but you’ll be taken more seriously if you are a little older…”

 

“I take this very seriously. Percy means more to me than anything. I’ll do whatever I can for him. And I am exactly 20, recently turned,” Luke said firmly.

 

“I’m okay with it,” Percy tiredly gave a half-grin. “I trust Luke.”

 

Luke signed the documents and felt lighter than he ever had in his life.

 

“When we get there, you’ll need to sign some papers okaying Percy taking chemo at that hospital. I’ll try to help with the insurance stuff, since you probably don’t have any idea, but the two of you should eat some of that food you bought beforehand. I know how much you hate hospital food, Percy, and as soon as we get there they’ll make you eat to get your sugar levels up and so you’ll have more energy.”

 

Percy blanched at that, and had enough energy to scramble to his father and take the food Luke had bought earlier from the ship restaurant. He began chowing down, with the others laughing at him. Luke began cutting up the steak for him, as Percy finished up his baked potato, and then Luke began feeding Percy the steak.

 

Percy pouted, “What did I tell you? I can feed myself!”

 

Luke rolled his eyes, “That was with that shampoo. And like I said, just let me baby you.”

 

They finished up the food by the time they reached the hospital, and Luke scooped up Percy into his arms, carrying him into the hospital with the others following behind him.

 

Percy was admitted and put into a room all by himself, and two gods and a demigod settled in for the long haul.

 

“Gentlemen, this is Doctor Ruthor. He’ll be taking care of Percy until I’m officially transferred over here,” Doctor Lawrence introduced them to a younger doctor, looking tired but kind.

 

“I’ll have to leave you for now, since I’m still talking with my superiors, but they like Percy so I’m sure my transfer will go smoothly. For now, I’ll leave you with Doctor Ruthor.”

 

Doctor Ruthor waited until he was gone before turning to the others.

 

“Theodore Ruthor, Son of Apollo, the other god of medicine,” he smiled kindly. “It’s nice to meet you all, Lords, fellow demigods.”

 

Both gods nodded, while Luke tensed though Percy lit up in excitement and leaned over closer.

 

“I am Poseidon, and my son Perseus is the one being admitted,” the god of sea started off.

 

“I’m Hermes, my son Luke,” Hermes ended.

 

“I’ll try to help as much as I can. If you need anything, just ask for me. I’ll leave my personal numbers as well, just in case.”

 

“You use phones? Isn’t that dangerous?” Luke snapped.

 

“I’m a doctor. It’s kind of hard not to have one. I just deal with it,” Ruthor shrugged with a grin. “Monsters come, I try to deal with them quickly, and then I get to work. Besides, I’m weak enough that most of them don’t even bother with me. Which actually works for me, because then I can focus on my work.”

 

Luke grunted an acceptance, trying not to brood.

 

And so started Percy’s stay in the hospital.

 

It started off slow, with them taking care of Percy and trying to get him healthy and ready enough to start. And then they did start him on chemotherapy. The effects were quick to appear, with Percy throwing up repeatedly.

 

Luke was with him every step of the way, and Hermes and Poseidon didn’t budge from their side.

 

Percy was throwing up again, turned on his side to throw up into the can used for vomit. Luke rubbed soothing circles on his back, whispering comforting words into his ears.

 

“I’ll get water,” Hermes muttered, while Poseidon sat in the chair next to Percy, keeping his son’s hair away from his mouth while mopping sweat off of Percy’s face.

 

Once Percy stopped, Luke wiped his mouth and Poseidon moved him back against his aloft bed. Breathing heavily, he accepted the cup of water from Hermes and drank it down, gurgling a little. Percy furrowed his eyebrows, moving his hand to the back of his head and easily retrieving strands of his hair and bringing it up to his face, eyes widening before he started to blink back tears rapidly.

 

“Luke!” Percy’s voice turned shrill. “I’m losing my hair already. I’m losing my hair!”

 

Luke winced and snatched the hair out of his hands.

 

“Hey, you want to shave it all off already?” he murmured.

 

Percy nodded furiously, eyes closed even though he was still crying.

 

They moved to the bathroom, and Luke plugged in the shaver.

 

“I’m going to die, I’m going to die,” Percy cried again and again, his hair starting to be shaved off. “I don’t want to die. I’m scared, Luke!”

 

“Shh, you’re not going to die,” Luke spoke softly to Percy.

 

Luke closed the door, and left the two gods to themselves. The two could hear only murmurs and the occasional crying, but they didn’t listen and left their sons to their privacy.

 

Poseidon shuddered and buried his face into his hands. Hermes patted his back and stared up in the ceiling, closing his eyes.

 

“Thank you.”

 

Hermes turned to face him questioning.

 

“Thank you for your son. Thank you so much for him,” Poseidon said roughly, voice thickened with tears.

 

Hermes sighed, “Thank Luke. It’s all him. He’s molded himself, and I…I just helped bring him into the world.”

 

Poseidon snorted self-deprecatingly, “Exactly. Without you, there would never have been a Luke. So thank you for your son.”

 

Hermes chuckled cynically.

 

“Well, we deserve the medal for World’s Greatest Dads, don’t we?”

 

“The sarcasm isn’t helping. _I_ wasn’t being sarcastic.”

 

“I know. But I feel oddly resentful of myself now.”

 

The door to the bathroom opened and they looked up, nearly gaping. Percy’s hair was entirely shaved off, but what was more was that Luke had shaved his head as well.

 

“So, I was thinking that maybe you’d like to go sailing, Percy,” Luke started talking as if nothing was off or wrong. “I’m your guardian, so that’ll help you get out of this place for a day. We could ask Doctor Ruthor, and he’ll probably let you go on behalf of us and our dads and especially if your dad comes to make sure nothing goes wrong in the water.”

 

Good old Luke, talking about the gods as if they weren’t there and making plans about them without even consulting them.

 

“That’s awesome! I can’t wait to get out of here, even if it’s for one day. I’m always in here. Did you know, when I was 10, I spent a whole year in a hospital? And then from the time I was diagnosed to now I’ve been in and out of the hospital. It sucks. I hate it here. Especially since Mom had to work all the time to pay bills and Smelly Gabe never visited me –not that I wanted him to –so I was alone a lot. Doctor Lawrence was there though, and he kept me company when it got lonely,” Percy started jabbering, his mood becoming happier that he was almost completely energetic.

 

“Well, you don’t need me to visit. I’ll be here all the time,” Luke promised, almost slipping into brooding mode before trying to keep happy for Percy.

 

“I’m not leaving,” Poseidon croaked out. He cleared his throat and gave his son a weak smile, “I’m not going anywhere.”

 

Percy beamed at him and Luke scrutinized him before giving a discrete approving nod.

 

“There is a nice beach nearby. We can go to that one,” Hermes commented and Luke glared at him, but nodded sharply. “Good…suggestion,” Luke reluctantly muttered.

 

“Hi,” a nurse knocked. “I’m here to take Percy’s stats. Is this a good time?”

 

“It’s fine,” Percy smiled giddily, just happy to not be alone.

 

The nurse started taking his blood pressure, recorded his heart rate and glucose levels, and other things that started making Percy antsy.

 

“Sorry, sweetie. Just a while longer,” the nurse smiled at him. “I’ll have to inject some stuff in you. It’ll make you sleepy, so you shouldn’t fight it and try taking a nap, alright? And when you wake up, how about I get you a slice of strawberry shortcake? There’s a special down at the cafeteria and I heard you liked strawberries.”

 

Percy nodded enthusiastically, “Okay!”

 

She wiped an alcohol pad onto his skin and slid the needle in, injecting a clear liquid, and then quickly pulled it out. She swabbed at the area with a cotton ball before pressing and then taping it onto the skin.

 

“There! All done. I’ll see you in a little bit,” the nurse patted his hair and then left.

 

“You heard her, Percy. Nap time,” Luke smirked at him.

 

Percy pouted, “I don’ wanna….” He yawned though, so he leaned back and began closing his eyes.

 

He was asleep soon and the three were about to just slump over and just be depressed together now that Percy couldn’t see them, when Ruthor appeared and they tiredly greeted him.

 

He didn’t look like he had good news.

 

The three warily straightened up and focused on him, and he cleared his throat nervously before beginning to talk.

 

“I don’t want to be the one to tell you this, but his original diagnosis of four more years is incorrect. We’ve determined that his leukemia has steadily been growing worse…and that something seems to be aggravating his condition. I’m sorry…but we don’t think Perseus will be able to live out the rest of the year. It’s even more probable that…we could lose him at any moment.”

 

He was stared at.

 

Luke stood up abruptly, his chair clattering backwards onto the floor.

 

“I-I’m thirsty,” Luke licked his lips. “I’m going to get some water from the cafeteria.”

 

He staggered out the door, ignoring his lost father and an overcome and trembling Poseidon staring off into space. The jug of ice water on the table was ignored.

 

Luke hadn’t noticed that his father had followed after him, too busy leaning against the wall with his eyes closed, pressing his forehead hard against it and echoing the action with his hands. Shaking, he screamed and slammed his hands against the wall before bending over to the side and throwing up. He barely registered someone rubbing his back before being pulled into a strong embrace after he was done vomiting. He tensed after a moment, finally realizing Hermes was holding onto him, before he broke down and clutched at his father and breaking into sobs.

 

“Shh, it’ll be okay. We’ll be there for him. As long as he has us…as along as he has _you_ ,” Hermes murmured to him.

 

“I don’t want him to die,” Luke muttered into his chest. “He’s the only person I love in this world. He can’t die.”

 

And Hermes didn’t want to say any false promises, so he just kept holding his son.

 

+  
+  
+  
+  
+  
+

 

“Today is the day they’re gonna throw it back to you. By now, you should’ve somehow realized what you’ve got to do. I don’t believe that anybody feels the way I do about you now,” Luke sang, strumming the guitar as he sat on Percy’s bed, Percy listening to him happily as he ate that slice of strawberry shortcake.

 

Everyone kept smiles on their face, and no one said a word to Percy. Not about that. Not about what they didn’t want to repeat aloud.

 

The next day they were able to take Percy to the beach. Luke and Hermes stole two sailing boats and the gods and the demigods raced against each other in good fun. They swam in the water. They splashed water at each other in water fights. They made father and son tag teams, Luke putting aside his bitterness and resentment for one day. They sat on the sand and stared into the waters into sunset and the skies became dark. And they watched stars.

 

It was great fun and a perfect time to bond.

 

Especially since two days later, Percy started suffering from a harsh fever that had him sweating and whimpering in his sleep, leading to a coma. Percy was quickly declared in critical condition from the beginning of the fever and had been moved to the Intensive Care Unit immediately. He was in pain, even as Luke stood by his side and brushed back his hair every so often. He couldn’t be reached even with Poseidon trying to soothe and help him by healing whatever he could with water. He stayed quiet except for his whimpers and cries, even when Hermes began telling him about funny stories about the gods in the dark of the night with lights dim and the other two asleep, knowing that had Percy been awake the boy would’ve been laughing silly and he probably would’ve been laughing along with him.

 

They patiently waited for Percy in their melancholy, and when Percy did wake up it was to a lot of crying and hugging.

 

Doctor Lawrence was his doctor once more, and decided that it was best to let Percy go. That all they could really do, that the best thing for them now was to take Percy home and give him happy days full of love and support. There was no more the hospital could do, and the only good they could do was to help whenever things got critical.

 

Percy was dying. And that was it.

 

Luke quietly took the news and when the doctor left, turned to the gods and was glad Percy was asleep again.

 

“I would appreciate it if you could transport both Percy and me to Disneyland. I promised him that at least. And that is near where my contact said he’ll meet me to give me both the Master Bolt and Helm of Darkness,” Luke stated quietly.

 

“Alright. We can take you there. But we have to leave. We’ve been gone too long and we have to go back, especially in time for the gathering for the Summer Solstice meeting,” Hermes told him.

 

Poseidon was busy murmuring into his son’s ear.

 

“That’s fine. Whatever,” Luke looked away, tired but still bitter as always.

 

Hermes sighed and reached out with a hand, his hand hovering in the air before letting it fall back to his side.

 

“I’m proud of you, Luke,” he said instead.

 

His son didn’t answer, but he needn’t. It was clear Luke still had misgivings about him and there was nothing he could do about it for now.

 

The two gods took the two to Disneyland, after signing Percy out and Percy had awoken. They said their goodbyes, Percy sad to see them go and Luke halfway from relieved to slightly longing to have them stay. But then it was just Luke and Percy once more.

 

“I’ll check us in and then let’s go everywhere,” Luke turned to Percy.

 

“Everywhere?” Percy asked with wide eyes.

 

“Everywhere,” Luke smirked.

 

And so started their week of fun.

 

They went on all the rides, seen most of the shows and attractions, pigged out at their favorite restaurants, had enough time to go to Universal Studios, and enjoy just hanging out in their room, watching TV and whatever else they wanted to do.

 

It was close to the time to return the stolen symbols of power, so Luke sent word to Ares. He took his mind off of that and focused on Percy, both of them waiting in line for Space Mountain for the seventh time. They got on and screamed in thrill throughout the ride, both equally thrilled with the speed, especially Luke considering who his father was. Then they went to two water rides, and they decided to go on another marathon of Tower of Terror, the one ride that didn’t really need a wait and they just ran through the line, got in, rode the ride, and then repeated joyfully.

 

They bought cotton candy, sharing it as they tiredly trekked up to their room. Inside, after making Percy go first to take a shower, Luke found the note from the Greek God of War.

 

_Meet me at LA._

Just the place Luke wanted to go to.

 

Started 4/9/10 –Completed 4/15/10


	5. Instead of It All

Luke was driving, having stolen yet another car. This time it was a Maserati Spyder, simply because Percy had told him once that that was his dream car. So Luke had meticulously scouted out cars, and looked specifically for not just the model but for one that was colored a shade of blue. It was Percy’s favorite color.

 

So what if he sounded obsessed. His brother was dying. He was going to do all he could for Percy.

 

“Percy, do you remember that I wasn’t supposed to be on this quest? That you were supposed to go with Annabeth and Grover? And you also know that I kind of just took you and left camp, right?”

 

Percy nodded, his excitement tempering once he saw how serious Luke was right then.

 

And then Luke began his tale, telling about how he’d run away at a young age, met Thalia, Annabeth, and Grover, being on the run, and everything about his life up to that moment with Percy. Including Kronos’ role in his life.

 

Percy listened patiently, and didn’t shout or scream at him afterwards. He merely just turned to face the road once more, but leaned against Luke comfortably.

 

“So, will you tell me where we’re going?”

 

Luke laughed and ignored the tears in his eyes.

 

_‘Thank the gods for Percy.’_

He turned the car to another lane and ignored the fact that he was heading in a different destination.

 

“You’ll see,” Luke murmured.

 

Some hours later, neither could tell, but they were in a city with large buildings and unlit light bulbs and Percy saw the sign.

 

“We’re in Las Vegas?”

 

Luke smiled, hiding the sadness until he could be alone.

 

Percy snorted, “Are you saying something?”

 

“What? Like planning on getting you drunk and all that good stuff in Vegas that you might not get to experience if you wait until you’re older?” Luke said innocently, though inwardly he winced at joking at Percy’s impending death, even with Percy himself preferring to joke about it rather than mope.

 

Luke drove to a liquor store, stole some alcohol, and then drove off to his destination. He smiled half in sorrow and half determination.

 

The Locus Casino.

 

Luke drove to a nearby parking lot and then grabbed their drinks before leading Percy into the casino, holding onto the younger boy’s hand. The closer they got, the tighter his hold became.

 

“We’re here,” he muttered.

 

Percy blinked up in awe at the casino, oblivious to Luke’s discomfort. Entering, Luke encouraged Percy to go play with the games as he went up to their room. Dropping the drinks onto the bed, Luke went to the bathroom and turned on the sink, watching the water flow. Splashing the water against his face, he stared into the mirror and just breathed heavily for a while. Then he moved and leaned against the wall before sliding down it to sit on the floor with his knees bent.

 

This wasn’t going to work. There was no guarantee this would work. But the Locus Casino was the best place to be to try, or at least the best place to have as much fun as possible.

 

The door opened and Percy came in.

 

“Hey, I thought you were going to enjoy yourself down there?” Luke asked with a small smile, knowing he looked exhausted.

 

“I did. I’d rather you were there too,” Percy grinned.

 

Luke was about to push himself up when Percy’s hand on his shoulder stopped him. He sat back down and Percy joined him

 

“What are we doing here, Luke?” Percy asked quietly.

 

Luke’s jaw clenched and he looked over to the younger boy. Percy was looking at him sadly. He knew.

 

“You figured it out fast.”

 

Percy’s smile was just as sad.

 

Luke swallowed harshly. “This place, you enter it and you never age. I think something here just stops a person from aging, and I thought it could stop your disease. Or it might not be gotten rid of, but you won’t end up dying. And we could be here together forever, and neither of us would age and we would still be together.”

 

 _‘Or you could have as much fun as possible until you die,’_ his mind whispered.

 

“Luke, we have to go. We can’t stay here.”

 

Luke shook his head, “Yes, we can. We can stay here and ignore the world, and who cares what happens as long as you live. As long as you’re enjoying yourself…”

 

“Thank you, Luke. But we can’t stay,” and Percy’s voice was firm.

 

“…Alright.”

 

Gods, Luke didn’t want to go.

 

They left easily, finding a newspaper and seeing it was five days later. Percy winced and Luke was just stoic. One more day until the summer solstice deadline.

 

Before leaving Las Vegas, Luke went and stole a leather Harley Davidson hat for himself, and a blue M&M’s cap for Percy like his adopted brother requested. And then they were off, back on track to Los Angeles.

 

City of Lost Angels more like.

 

 _‘How fitting,’_ Luke thought bitterly.

 

Ares had left another note before Luke decided to take the little ‘detour’, saying to meet him at a McDonald’s near the entrance to the Underworld. He found it easily and parked, glaring at the fast-food restaurant and clenching his jaw.

 

“We’re here then?” Percy asked nonchalantly, instinctively feeling the turmoil in Luke.

 

“We’re here,” Luke confirmed.

 

They both stepped out and walked into the McDonald’s. Ares was grumpily sitting at a table, waiting. As soon as they had stepped in, the God of War’s head snapped up and he glared at them from behind wraparound sunglasses.

 

Percy quivered, but Luke just gently took him by the shoulders and led him closer.

 

“Lord Ares,” Luke acknowledged. Percy muttered a ‘hi’, choosing to hide behind him.

 

“You’re late. By _five_ **_days_**.”

 

“I apologize, Lord Ares. We had to make a…detour,” Luke clenched his jaw.

 

“You’re lucky I stayed around the area, and managed to catch you,” Ares grunted. “So what’s up? I thought you were going to start a war?”

 

“Actually, I was going to destroy Mount Olympus and all of you gods, and then help Kronos rise back to power,” Luke said blandly, not even blinking at his words.

 

Ares stiffened and then bared his teeth.

 

“I don’t like being made a fool of –”

 

“I’m not. I’m being entirely serious,” Luke scowled, taking a quick glance at Percy. He did a double take, seeing the other demigod shivering badly and a little pale. “Hold his hands,” he snapped at the god.

 

Both Ares and Percy blinked at him.

 

“What?”

 

“Percy, you’re shivering,” Luke said urgently, grabbing Percy and pulling him closer to Ares.

 

He practically shoved the younger boy at the god, who grunted at the impact. Instead, Percy slipped away and sat on the other side of the table, across from Ares.

 

“Percy!” Luke snapped.

 

Pouting, Percy hesitantly slid his hands over the table and Ares humored them, rolling his fiery eyes and grabbing the boy’s hands. Immediately, Percy actually relaxed and sighed happily.

 

“You’re probably hungry too,” Luke muttered. “It’s been awhile since you’ve eaten. I’m sorry, Percy. I’ll go get you something to eat.”

 

He hurried away without a word, and not listening to the protesting from either person. Percy awkwardly smiled at the god, who stared back unhappily.

 

When Luke came back, he was surprised to see Percy next to Ares, nodding off with the god’s arm around him and holding him close, allowing the young demigod to snuggle into his side.

 

Uncertainly coming closer, Luke put the food on the table and gently shook Percy’s shoulder.

 

“Come on, Percy. You need to eat. You have to get something in you so you can keep your energy up,” Luke murmured.

 

“Ngh,” Percy just mumbled, but didn’t respond any further.

 

Sighing, Luke moved to the other side and sat down, picking at fries.

 

“What’s wrong with him?” Ares asked roughly.

 

Luke frowned, “He has leukemia. He’s…dying, so I’m trying to at least clear his name. I want to return the Master Bolt and the Helm of Darkness personally, and maybe redeem myself. It’s the only way I can think of that might let me stay with Percy.”

 

Ares looked away uncaringly, but he’d hefted the bag on his other side and tossed it over to him. Luke caught it awkwardly, looking at the god in confusion.

 

“Both of them are in there. The Underworld is nearby, so you can head straight over there. I’ll come with you to make sure you can get to Hades safely,” Ares turned stoically to him, eyes burning bright behind the sunglasses.

 

“Thank you, Lord Ares,” Luke looked down, swallowing down the lump in his throat.

 

Percy wiggled and his small hands reached up and grasped onto Ares. Both of the others stared at the boy before shaking their heads lightly.

 

“You tell anyone about this, I’ll kill you, got that?” Ares glared at Luke.

 

Luke held up his hands, “Got it.”

 

Luke ate his food and Percy woke up, scarfing down his, then the three of them started their trek to Ares’ bike. Luke sat behind, in the regular position for a second person to ride on the bike, while Percy was able to sit on Ares’ lap, small as he is.

 

They rode the short distance to the studio, where Ares parked right in front and then they entered. Ignoring the other shades, they strode right up to a bored Charon, who straightened up and looked at Ares in surprise and slight fright.

 

“Lord Ares! What can I do for you?” he intentionally ignored the other two.

 

Ares grunted, “I need to see Hades. These two are coming with me.”

 

His tone was slightly threatening so Charon paled and let it go, leading them to the elevator. Once they were in the Underworld, Ares led them passed even more shades and passed Cerberus, Ares’ presence protecting them somewhat. But the place was cold, even more so for Percy.

 

Ares noticing, took off his leather jacket and put it around Percy, who shivered but calmed down more. He glanced up at the god and gave him a small smile, clutching the jacket around him and snuggling in deeper, trying to absorb as much warmth as he could.

 

Then they were in front of the Lord of the Dead, who towered over all of them, especially since Ares was in normal human form.

 

“What’s this? Ares, I didn’t expect you here. And the Lightning Thief and his friend,” Hades’ eyes bored into Percy.

 

Luke noticed and stepped forward immediately.

 

“Actually, I stole the Master Bolt,” he said boldly and Hades’ eyes quickly flashed to him. “…And your Helm of Darkness.”

 

Hades roared, standing up threateningly. Ares warily pushed Percy behind him, both of them glancing between Luke and Hades in front of them.

 

“Give it back!” Hades hissed.

 

Luke unzipped the bag and took out the Helm, throwing it to the angry god.

 

“Tell me,” Hades started, a dangerous edge to his tone. “Why I shouldn’t destroy you now, foolish boy?”

 

Luke winced, scrambling to come up with something, when Percy intervened.

 

“Uncle Hades?” his small voice echoed in the chamber. Luke snapped his head to face the younger demigod with wide eyes, shaking his head. Ares pulled him back, but Percy persisted in speaking.

 

“Um…I can speak on Luke’s behalf. Can…can we talk alone?”

 

Hades stared at the boy, scrutinizing the young boy closely.

 

“Very well,” Hades surprisingly agreed. “You, stay. Ares, you stay as well. Come, boy. Follow me.”

 

The two left behind watched Percy leave them in dread.

 

They were equally shocked and relieved when the Lord of the Dead returned with Percy intact, a strange closeness that wasn’t there before present between the two.

 

“You all may leave,” Hades declared, startling the two that had been stuck there alone. “I have not yet forgiven you, Lightning Thief. But I will let it go. As for you, child…you are a brave boy. May the Fates be with you.”

 

Percy and Hades shared a secret smile, and the other two were startled again by seeing the Lord of the Dead smile.

 

They headed out, all of them relieved to have that done, when Percy stopped Luke.

 

“H-he’s here, isn’t he.”

 

They didn’t dare say his name when they were so close to where he was.

 

Luke’s eyes widened, “Yes. But it’s okay. We can avoid where he is easily and Ares’ presence will at least help us against him.”

 

Percy shook his head, “This is bigger than us, isn’t it Luke? Without you, he lost his Queen piece but that doesn’t mean he’s lost all of his pieces. We know now that he’s gathering his strength…but now that you’re not going to go back to him, how will we know what he’s up to?”

 

“What are you saying, Percy?” Luke gritted his teeth.

 

The younger demigod smiled sadly, “I’m dying, Luke. You know that. You were supposed to be his vessel. If I come to him instead, then at least he’ll be stuck in a weak and pathetic body, and I can send information to you.”

 

“No!” both Luke and surprisingly Ares shouted. “And don’t say stuff like that. You are not weak or pathetic. Neither is your body,” Luke continued, knowing Percy meant himself and not just his body.

 

But Percy stood firm.

 

“Luke, we need to know what Kronos is up to. This could be our only chance, and it would be better if I were to go than you,” he added, seeing just where Luke was about to go next. Luke scowled. “You can’t go. Kronos would take over you. If I go, he’ll be arrogant enough to choose me as his new vessel because I’m the prophecy child, but he wouldn’t want to be in me all the time because of my state. I can fool him. Besides, I have plenty of tricks up my sleeve.”

 

Luke shook his head, “It’s too dangerous. Especially in your condition. I refuse. If we need a spy, then I’ll go. It was supposed to be me in the first place, and I’ll be able to handle it better than you would.”

 

“I told you, Luke. _You_ can’t go. There’s a lot of reasons why. You’re healthy, you actually have a life ahead of you, and you have people who care about you –”

 

“You have people who care about you too,” Luke interrupted.

 

Percy sighed, “I know. But not to the extent that you do, or as strong a bond to the others that you have. So really, the truth is I _don’t_ have people who really care about me.”

 

_‘That’s not true. Your father. **My** father. Annabeth and Grover really do, you just don’t believe it. Even Ares. Forget all about them. What about **me**?’_

“I just have a better chance of fooling him. And besides, when I die, at least I could take him with me.”

 

“That’s if he’ll accept and believe you,” Ares cut in, siding with Luke.

 

Luke was too busy fuming about Percy’s repeated allusions to his death.

 

“Oh, he will. His arrogance will make sure of it. He’ll defy anyone. Even the Fates.”

 

Luke looked over to him so fast that he was sure he heard a crack. Percy nodded at him and Luke felt himself reluctantly cave in, even as the understanding and acceptance slowly took over him.

 

“Alright,” Luke said quietly.

 

“What?” Ares looked at him incredulously.

 

“You send word to me, alright? As soon as you can, but don’t delay,” Luke didn’t let the tears come, patting Percy’s head fondly before roughly giving in and pulling Percy into a tight hug.

 

“I love you,” he murmured into his ear. “Be careful, alright…little brother.”

 

Percy smiled into his shoulder, nodding slowly.

 

Pulling back, Luke stared at him, trying to memorize how Percy looked so that he wouldn’t forget.

 

“You talked to Hades about this, didn’t you?”

 

Percy gave a wry smile, “It was what made him decide to let you go.”

 

Luke knew that it was getting harder and harder to stop himself from crying, and he wondered why any of this emotion had never came out of him before. He never had any tears to shed, not even when Thalia died. And now he felt himself breaking into pieces and he wasn’t sure how to put himself back together again.

 

“Don’t think like that,” Percy reprimanded, just knowing what Luke was thinking. “Be happy for me, won’t ya? And go to all the places I wanted to go to on my bucket list for me, please? Take a picture and collect them together, so I can see them if I come back. Then it’ll be like I was there.”

 

“ _When_ you come back,” Luke said determinedly.

 

Percy nodded at him indulgently.

 

“Ares, your jacket,” Percy shrugged off the large leather jacket, handing it to the god.

 

Luke inwardly snorted. That was his brother –disrespectful little brat. Lovable, but Percy just couldn’t get the hang of respecting names and titles.

 

Ares huffed, “Keep it, brat. You need it more than I do. You can give it back when this is all over and you got rid of that little shit parasite.”

 

Surprised at him, Percy put the jacket back on and Luke stopped staring at the god. Instead, he focused on his brother again, trying to plead with Percy not to do this with his eyes. But Percy just shook his head at him, and Luke’s shoulders slumped.

 

“We’ll see each other again,” Percy promised, turning and starting to walk again.

 

“Wear your hat all the time! It’s cold! And _you_ get cold easily!” Luke called out.

 

Percy gave a small wave behind him.

 

He followed the whispers all three of them were hearing, and Ares and Luke watched him leave them behind.

 

“We have to get back to Mount Olympus,” Luke forced himself to turn back to the task.

 

Ares nodded, “I’ll lead you quickly up, and then head to the meeting to stall them. You get back as fast as you can.”

 

They split up above world, and Luke bought a ticket back to New York. Within ten minutes to the deadline, he made it to New York and spent some minutes getting to the Empire State building. Sprinting to the elevator, he waited impatiently to reach the top. Then he was running through the streets of the gods to where the meeting was being held.

 

He stopped right outside the doors, taking a deep breath and preparing himself. Then he pushed the gigantic doors opened and entered the meeting, all of the gods and goddesses eerily quiet and turning to look at him at the same time. Dionysus, in particularly, was scowling heavily at him.

 

“You’re late,” Zeus’ voice rumbled, and the King of Gods stood up dauntingly.

 

“By only 2 minutes, Zeus. Come on,” Hermes chirped, trying to get some leeway for his son.

 

“You are lucky Ares assured me you were coming with my Master Bolt. Where is the Lightning Thief, boy? And where’s my Bolt?” Zeus ignored the messenger god.

 

Luke quietly unzipped Ares’ bag and tossed the Lightning Bolt to Zeus, who caught it and smiled in satisfaction. He knew that both his father and Poseidon were staring at him intensely, wondering about the same thing –where _was_ Percy.

 

“Where is the Lightning Thief?” Zeus repeated.

 

Luke looked at him in grief, “He’s not…he’s not the Lightning Thief. Percy never stole the Master Bolt. I did.”

 

There was uproar all around him, the only ones calm were Hermes, Poseidon, and Ares. Though his father had turned to sorrow once more, Luke ignored that and knew he had to continue.

 

Athena and Apollo appeared on either side of him, the Goddess of Wisdom holding her sword to his neck while Apollo had strung an arrow into his bow and had its point touching against Luke’s right temple.

 

“Did you harm the prophecy child?” Zeus thundered, walking towards him and shrinking down to normal size as he walked.

 

Luke sneered, “Typical. You all go from calling Percy the Lightning Thief and then now he’s back to being your prophecy child. That’s all you gods are! Fickle. It’s the whole reason why I agreed to help Kronos rise again. All of you are pathetic and selfish. Why bother ruling over humans, when you don’t even care about us?”

 

Then Luke started to go on a rant, screaming about how he’d met Kronos on his Quest, how he agreed to help him, and how he’d been working with the Titan for all these years until Percy showed up. How, in fact, he had stolen the Lightning Bolt and the Helm of Darkness under orders, trying to start a war amongst the gods and have them destroy each other because he knew they were all irrational and unreasonable –even though originally Kronos had wanted both items for himself.

 

And he screamed and he screamed until he felt his voice going sore, because he felt his emotions peaking and the fact that he hadn’t truly accepted Percy going to Kronos for him. Well, for all of them. But mostly, and how Luke saw it, Percy had gone for _him_.

 

“Where is my son?” Poseidon spoke up, unable to stay silent any longer and becoming anxious.

 

Luke looked apologetically at him, knowing he looked a mess with reddened eyes and tears dripping sloppily down his face.

 

“He’s with Kronos,” he finally revealed, because he didn’t really want to say it because saying it aloud made it true.

 

Poseidon roared and leaped forward, caught and held back by Zeus and surprisingly Hades, who had appeared out of nowhere.

 

“Hades, what are you doing here?” Zeus hissed, though he made no other move towards the Lord of the Dead because his hands were full with his other brother.

 

“I was told to come here by Poseidon’s son,” Hades murmured, firmly keeping a hold on his brother and looking only to Poseidon.

 

The God of the Sea went lax and he slowly turned to face Hades.

 

“You…you saw my son?” Poseidon’s voice was rough.

 

Hades nodded, “My Helm of Darkness was just returned not too long ago, before that boy came here and your son talked to me about some things. First, he suggested I tell you all to listen to Luke first, instead of acting rashly –like all of you tend to do. Second, he asked you all to spare Luke Castellan, Son of Hermes, from any punishment. He was bitter and resentful of us all, but mostly his father. And third…Perseus wanted to say to all of you that he was sorry.”

 

“Sorry?’ Poseidon asked, looking lost and exhausted.

 

Hades turned to Luke, staring at him knowingly and provoking. Luke cleared his throat uncomfortably, unintentionally bringing attention to him that he hadn’t wanted.

 

“Percy went to Kronos willingly,” Luke reluctantly admitted.

 

There was another uproar and Luke’s lip curled.

 

“Look at all of you! Didn’t Lord Hades just say that Percy asked for you to _listen_ first? Are you all that _thickheaded_?” Luke growled.

 

“The prophecy has come true. The child has chosen to side with Kronos,” Athena frowned.

 

Luke tensed, “For being the Goddess of Wisdom, you are incredibly stupid.”

 

The room went silent and Athena grew red at the insult, bristling and looking ready to slit his jugular with her sword. If she pressed down any harder…

 

“The prophecy said he’d either save or destroy us. The prophecy didn’t specifically _say_ he was going to betray us all. And the prophecy refers to a 16 year old. Percy’s 12, Lady Athena. The prophecy _hasn’t_ come true, thank you very much. Which is why Kronos will probably do all he can to convince Percy to stay by his side until Percy turns 16, to ensure Percy _is_ on his side in the end. Well that, and because Kronos wouldn’t want anything to happen to his future vessel. Not like it’ll matter,” Luke sighed.

 

“Why wouldn’t it matter?” Artemis interrupted, analyzing his every move and every emotion, trying to figure what he was thinking.

 

Luke quieted, unwilling to answer. But he had to. For Percy.

 

“He’s dying.”

 

How many times had he said that? Too many. He was getting sick of it. The _words_ made him actually feel sick. The thought of it? Made his heart clench painfully.

 

It was quiet in the room again and he chanced a look around. Everyone looked shocked, including Hades. So Percy hadn’t told him about that part.

 

Hermes, Poseidon, Dionysus, and Ares were looking away, expressions shuttered and bodies tense, though Poseidon looked like he couldn’t hide his pain.

 

Luke swallowed harshly, “He…he said that it was better this way. He could spy on Kronos for you, and Kronos would be stuck in a weak body. And if he ended up dying, maybe he’d take Kronos with him. Kronos’ arrogance will be the main factor in him accepting Percy. That despite Percy’s sickness, because Percy was the prophesized child, Kronos wouldn’t dare pass up the opportunity to have him as a vessel. And that he was arrogant enough to think he could defy the Fates against Percy’s disease, and try to heal Percy himself –he’d accept Percy just to prove he was above the Fates.

 

“It was the _only_ reason I let him go, I swear,” Luke pleaded, immediately focusing on Poseidon, and looking at him with pleading eyes, trying to convince the god that he was sincere and that he hated this as much as Poseidon did. “If there was any chance that Kronos could succeed in healing Percy, I had to take it. So I let him go.”

 

But Poseidon’s face shut down and he looked at him coldly.

 

“You were supposed to bring my son back alive, here with me, not let him go into Kronos’ clutches.”

 

And Poseidon forcefully tore himself out of his brothers’ holds and stormed out of the room.

 

Luke couldn’t help himself, falling to his knees and staring at the ground, eyes blinded by tears again.

 

“He’s my brother. I wanted to. I wanted to make him stay with me so much…” Luke muttered.

 

The room was full of gods and goddesses, but it still felt cold and lonely.

 

Started 4/19/10 –Completed 4/24/10


End file.
